The Enemy of my Enemy

The Escape

Antonin Dolohov – Convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

Augustus Rookwood – Convicted of leaking Ministry of Magic secrets to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Bellatrix Lestrange – Convicted of torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom.

Cyrus Nott – Convicted of Domestic Abuse and Murder of his wife, Eleanor.

Teddie looked up at Theo as he stared at the Daily Prophet laid out on the Slytherin table at breakfast. His gaze fixated on the image of his father as he laughed and lunged forward, as if trying his very hardest to break through the paper.

"He can't get you here," said Teddie, reaching for his hand under the table and squeezing.

"What about when we're not here?" Theo asked.

"Mo will just have to extend my protection detail to you, too," said Teddie, resting her head on his shoulder. "I made you a promise, Theo, and no matter what is happening in my life, I intend to keep that promise. I won't let anything happen to you."

Theo smiled and pressed his lips to the top of Teddie's head. He, too, had made a promise to protect her. Granted, he couldn't protect her from everything in her life, and he couldn't have protected her from the hurt that came with losing her parents, but he could protect her physically and he would to the best of his abilities.

"Black?" Blaise asked. "Do you think they mean - ?"

Teddie shot him a look and shook her head. "I thought he was dead," she said, quietly casting a glance at Parkinson and Malfoy. "I mean, I don't know everything that happened in third year, but I know that McNair was brought in for a reason."

"McNair?" Daphne questioned. "He was the executioner?"

Teddie nodded. "Why?" she asked, not liking the dark look that crossed Daphne's face.

"He's a supporter of You-Know=Who," said Blaise. "These people," he nodded at the paper, "are just the ones that were willing to go away for him. There are others out there that managed to talk their way out of a sentence."

"Like my dad," said Theo.

Teddie sighed and lay her head back on Theo's shoulder. She cast her gaze back at the black and white images, and her mind wandered to Harry. She suddenly sat up, her eyes gravitating to the Gryffindor table and, much to her surprise, found Harry looking back at her.

"Everything okay?" Daphne asked, biting into a piece of jam on toast.

"I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall," said Teddie, jumping from her seat and pulling her backpack out from under her seat. She slung it over her shoulder and left her friends, as she followed Harry out of the Great Hall.

~X~

The day following the breakout article, another decree appeared on the house notice boards.

BY ORDER OF –

THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six.

.

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge

HIGH INQUISITOR.